Thomas Meunier's 40th-minute reply made it a tense second half and when Kylian Mbappe's equalised with seven minutes left, Liverpool could have buckled.

Neither Choupo-Moting or Shaqiri were ever going to stick around in the Championship but we don't think many people will have predicted both to have come up against one other in the Champions League six months on from suffering relegation.

It was Sturridge's first goal since the opening day of the season against West Ham and the 29-year-old's first in the Champions League since he netted against Maribor in November 2017.

But as the visitors grew bolder on the attack, their defenders grew careless and Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge exploited the weakness to put the home side up 1-0 in the 30th minute.

Firmino sustained an abrasion to the cornea in his left eye in the weekend win at Tottenham after a clash with Jan Vertonghen and did not train on Sunday or Monday as a result.

"He's got to work hard to try to improve", Tuchel said of Mbappe. That's who Jurgen Klopp is.

"Although we see ourselves [that way], we have to make the point". Liverpool did have another shout for a goal when Mohamed Salah got a tap in on the goal line which was called back due to a foul on Sturridge to Alphonse Areola's groin. Substitute Julian Draxler took the ball forward and released Neymar, who was challenged by van Dijk as he broke into the area.

"When you are in that situation as a player, and it looks like your days could be numbered, there is only a way back if you really want it. That's how you know you're seeing a title-winning side", stated Ince. The harder task is wining the Champions League for the first time.

"We are talking about having a £50m player at your disposal because he is potentially a world-class striker", Warnock told BBC Radio 5.